


Red Secrets Wrapped In Silver

by MiniNoire



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien as Chat Blanc, Akumas as Vampires, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Bloodlust, Character Turned Into Vampire, Endgame Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, F/M, Human/Vampire Relationship, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Lukanette Lovesquare, Mentions of Blood, Vampire Hunters, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:54:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28955289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNoire/pseuds/MiniNoire
Summary: She hugs Luka tight, promising to herself to protect him from everything. The darkness he craves, the past that haunts him, the bloodthirsty Akumas that rampage the city -- she resolves to protect him from all of them with her life.Unaware of the fact that he, too, resolves to do the same for her. Protect her from his darkness, his past, the bloodthirsty Akumas of whom he had once been a part…
Relationships: Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 8
Kudos: 43





	Red Secrets Wrapped In Silver

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Squishysib](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squishysib/gifts).



> Happy Birthday Sibby! A humble Birthday gift for the HBIC and head mod of our server! <3 Have a nice day, hope you like this story~
> 
> Kudos to Cass (@sagansjagger) for suggesting+beta reading this fic <3 And to Katie for listening to my looooonnnngggggg rants about thie universe xD

The Parisian sky drapes itself in midnight velvet. The stars sparkle on this pure black fabric, their brightness doubled by the lack of the moon and the light pollution. No offices work this late, no cars travel the road. No buildings are alight at this time of the night. It’s as if the entire city has been lulled to sleep, by the strange lullaby the mystery in the air holds.

Silence.

Somewhere, a clock chimes 12.

A whoosh of a fabric, a thud of metal meeting ground, the soft sounds of someone running atop rooftops.

The ominous silence is back again.

She crouches behind the rooftops, her ears perked, her gaze alert. Any movement, any sound at this hour, she knows, should not go unnoticed. For Paris may belong to the Parisians in the daytime, but in the night… the case is totally different.

There are sounds of soft footfalls atop a nearby roof. Indiscernible for normal human ears, but they catch this lady in red’s attention.

There’s a clang of metal hitting metal, a feral hiss, and she is sure about who the mysterious person is.

It’s just a matter of now or never.

Getting up from her crouch at lightning speed, she dashes across the rooftops. Her advanced yo-yo is held tight in her hand, her silver gun loaded with its silver bullets holstered in her belt. The feel of the silver dagger against her black latex boots provide her a sense of security and comfort, too. Tresses of hair escape from her neat bun, framing the red and black-spotted domino mask that adorns half of her face. Her body has grown accustomed to the weight of her armor, and to the red cape that billows behind her as she runs, not losing her breath at all.

The rooftop ends, and the woman jumps down into the alley, her spinning yo-yo serving to soften her fall as she lands on someone.

The person below her, a young man nearly her age, is dressed in white. It takes the woman no time to wrap her yo-yo around his neck and tug at it, eliciting a snarl from her target. He hisses, he screeches, he thrashes around as his tail lashes behind her. She meticulously dodges every blow of his arms, every kick of his legs, every lash of his tail, her grip of her yo-yo not slackening.

Until the tell-tale pterodactyl screech reaches her ears.

The woman’s head snaps up, and this is all the distraction the man in white needs. He rolls over with force, causing the red lady to jump off him in surprise. She rolls a little but then recovers quickly, crouching in a defensive stance, yo-yo rapidly spinning in one hand as the other inches for the gun.

The man in white rubs at his neck, hissing as his claws brush against his now-burned skin. His cat ears are perked up, his hair stands on its end, and his eyes are shut in agonising pain. The woman uses this time to look around for the source of the screech, and muted sounds of a scuffle reach her ears from the alley on the other side of the road.

The feral in front of her hisses, and she turns her rapt attention back to him. He’s bleeding; the pristine white armor of his is coated a ruby red at the edges. His slitted, icy blue eyes stare at her in anger and rage, and he snarls at her. She blinks to focus, and the next thing she knows, he’s gone.

She blinks in stupor, before shaking her head and rushing towards the other alley. The sounds of scuffle increase in magnitude, and just as she steps into the darkness, someone pounces upon her.

She struggles, she flails, she kicks at the person atop her. She is held in a chokehold, and she can feel something sharp and pointed ghost over her neck.

Fangs.

Her breath labors in anticipation as she thrashes around more fervently. She is a Miraculous; she has already undergone genetic mutation. The bite of the Akuma won’t harm her drastically, it would affect her for a day or two at the most, in ways unknown even to her.

And honestly, she is afraid to find out.

She closes her eyes, waiting for the bite. The bite that never comes.

As the weight over her disappears, the woman rolls out, wasting no time. There’s another screech, and then, dead silence.

The lady in red looks up, panting heavily. Her bluebell eyes meet with her savior’s golden-green ones, and for a second, she finds herself lost in their warmth. 

But the moment shatters as soon as she notices the unnatural slit they have, and her gaze travels lower to find the tell-tale sharp fangs this person has.

She scrambles back and gets herself up quick, her yo-yo spinning in her hand again. She purposely ignores the unconscious (and possibly-nullified) Akuma lying near the mysterious person’s feet, and trains her gaze onto him. The stranger, or better said, the  _ blood-hunter _ , seems nonchalant by her stance. He simply pulls out a lyre from behind his back, and starts strumming at it, soft melodious chords escaping his fingers.

“Stop that,” the woman growls out. The person ignores her, only to continue with even more zeal.

“Why are you doing that?” she snaps.

He looks at her finally, glimmering eyes shaded by the teal hood over his head, lips pulled back in a small smirk that reveal his fangs. He stands camouflaged in the shadows, but the teal of his lyre glows a radium green, enabling the woman to make out his outline.

Realisation finally dawns on her as her jaw drops, and her yo-yo momentarily slacks, before picking up its spin again at an even greater speed.

“Black Mamba,” the woman speaks, or rather  _ spits _ his name out, as she crouches in a defensive stance, eyes narrowed, jaw clenched.

“Not anymore, Ladybug,” he spoke in a honey smooth voice, pausing the chords on his lyre. It took Ladybug’s entire being to control her knees from going weak. That is Black Mamba’s power; charming his prey with elusive music chords before making them an Akuma, or even worse, his feast.

“The name’sss Viperion now,” he drawls out, extending the ‘s’ sound in the perfect personification of a snake.

“Changing a name doesn’t nullify the crimes you committed, blood-hunter!” the woman hollers out angrily, only causing the vampire to chuckle.

“Agreeable, but what if I, sssay, changed alliancesss?” He pondered out loud, causing the Miraculous to falter for a second. “Don’t tell me you didn’t notice me MIA for three monthssss,  _ porte bonheur _ .”

She grits her teeth at the term of endearment, her eyes steeling even more. “Stop riddling or I might slice that throat of yours, snake.”

“Ah, ah, ah, you’re ssstill the sssame. Nice to know that.”

Ladybug lets out a frustrated noise, before tossing her yo-yo towards her opponent. Viperion dodges, but not before the string of the yo-yo grazes his cheek. He lets out a hiss and stares at her with eyes that promise murder. The Miraculous expects retaliation and has her defense ready, but is surprised when she doesn’t get one.

“I come in peace, but you ssseem to be on fire tonight,” he teases her, clicking his tongue. She narrows her eyes, and he snickers.

“Never let your guard down unless it’s a Helper or a Miraculous -- that’s what they teach us, snake,” Ladybug snarks back. Her hand hovers over her gun beside her, her gaze locked on the bastard in front of her.

“Ah, well, that’s sad, for I’m neither. But anywaysss,” Viperion bends down to pick the female Akuma up, and leans them by a wall. “This poor civilian became Chat Blanc’s latest prey. Struggled a lot, and he liked that. Hence a new Akuma, hence their bloodlust, hence their strength. Take them with you, and make them a part of your team.”

He straightens up and rolls his shoulder and cracks his knuckles. “With my task done here, I’ll be on my way.”

Viperion prepares to jump off, but Ladybug tosses her yo-yo out, wrapping it around his torso and careful to not let it touch any skin. He flails and fumbles to get ahold of his balance, and once standing straight again, stares at Ladybug questioningly.

“Not wanting to let me go, Bug?”

She rolls her eyes, before releasing him. Tucking her yo-yo by the side, she gives him a look. “You’re neither a Miraculous, nor a Helper. Why did you save me, then, snake?”

He stared at her for a moment, before leaning close into her face. His breath fanning her face holds a metallic taste, and even though bile rises to her throat, Ladybug finds her own breath hitch at the closeness they share. 

Her hand involuntarily sneaks to her yo-yo, but he notices it. For the very next moment, his hand is resting atop hers, the grip firm enough to stop her but not hurt her in the slightest. He smirks, and she can only gasp in reply.

“‘Cause I already told you. I’m _not_ an Akuma, Bug,” is all that he says, before brushing his nose against hers. And before Ladybug can get her bearings back, Viperion has disappeared in the darkness of the night.

It takes her a moment or two to get her bearings back. Ladybug lets her breath out, feeling her legs go weak as she leans against the brick wall for support. The night had been long, but it has finally come to an end. And she can only look forward to the new dawn that arrives in a few hours, with its own cheeriness, own questions, own challenges.

A clock chimes one at some distance, interrupting the silence of the quiet night.

Ladybug wraps her yo-yo around the new Akumatized victim, securing the binds around them. She taps at her ruby red earrings, making a call to Tikki, her ‘kwami,’ to send aid to pick the victim up. Task done, the Miraculous moves out of the alley and sits down on the gravel road, looking up at the inky black sky.

The city is pitch black and dark. Sans the Iron Lady, who glows a pale yellow. 

She’s a beacon of hope. A beacon of positivity in this dark, moonless night. And Ladybug promises to herself to keep that hope alive, no matter what comes her way.

* * *

“Lemon sorbet for his snarkiness, cheesecake for her sweetness… Sweet and tangy that’s the tact, for it is the opposites here that attract!”

The raven-haired girl giggles as her employer hands her over the ice cream combination. She eyes the pastel yellow delicacy curiously, before giving Andre a questioning look. The pot-bellied man chortles, before leaning down to whisper in the girl 's ear.

“The trick to understanding how the magic works is to know where in your heart the magic lurks.” He pats her head gently, before pushing her to look for the right couple. Marinette throws a scared look at him, but he just motions her to move forward. His wink is a reassurance that he will help her out if needed.

She looks around, bewildered, at the couples who flock around the small ice-cream parlor. Some enjoy their sweethearts ice cream, others wait for it. Her gaze lands on a cheesy couple, and she immediately crosses them out from her suspicions.

Sweet and snarky, that’s what the combination says.

She looks around some more, until the sounds of a conversation reach her ears.

_ “What if I dip you in sugar? Will that take your sourness away?” _

_ “Why did I agree to go on a date with you again?” _

There, that is her couple.

Briskly walking over to the bickering people, Marinette glances over her shoulder to find Andre giving her an affirming look. Smiling at the confirmation, the barista places the ice cream on the designated table, causing the boy and the girl to pause their bickering for a moment.

“See, I told you we would get lemon in the ice cream!” the red-haired girl squeals finally. Marinette has a brief recognition of her, but decides to keep her mouth shut. “Now, you owe me another date!”

“Fiinnnee!” the dark-haired boy, whom Marinette doesn’t know, rolls his eyes. A small smile quirks on his lips as he scoops up some ice cream. “But let’s finish this date first, Sugarcube.”

Marinette’s heart flutters at the couple, and sensing that she isn’t needed there anymore, she makes her way back to the counter.

“Bon travail, Marinette!” Andre pats her on the back as she removes her apron and dusts her dress off. “You’re getting good at this!”

“Thanks Andre!” she chirps back, grabbing her bag from underneath the workstation. “I guess I have to go now, I will be back tomorrow morning!”

“Sure! And wait!” Marinette pauses at the back door of the ice cream parlor, looking curiously as her employer works at the counter. He comes back moments later, holding a box in his hand.

“Andre, what is this? You know there isn’t any need,” the young woman sighs, a fond smile on her face.

“Strawberry and blueberry, for the love that makes you two merry!” He says in a sing-song voice, ruffling her hair lovingly. “Just a little token of appreciation from my side. And no you cannot refuse this!”

“Thanks Andre, I bet he would love this present.”

Saying her goodbyes to her employer, Marinette tucks the small present in her bag. She walks out into the street of Paris, breathing into the air. The hustle and bustle of the city causes a course of adrenaline to rush through her blood. With a happy sigh, she makes her way to the small eating joint her boyfriend has always liked.

The owner glances at her and beams. “The usual order, miss?” he asks jovially. She nods in reply.

They ask her to wait for ten minutes. She utilises that time to get herself a chai latte and an Irish coffee for her love. Getting her takeaway from the joint, Marinette rushes towards the station, boarding a Metro to take her where she wants to go.

She gets off at the station, and with a skip in her step, walks towards the apartment where her boyfriend lives. She quickly climbs up the steps, her bag jiggling by her side. Sounds of faint music reach her ears as she nears her destination, making her heart do a little happy dance.

Reaching the door, she knocks on it and waits.

There is no reply. Just the faint music playing.

Marinette sighs. She digs into her purse, searching for the keys she has always kept there. Finding them, she unlocks the door and pushes it open, stepping into the dark, murky apartment.

Her eyes try to adjust to the sudden darkness they have been plunged into. She fumbles for a light switch, and turns it on, blinking wildly as the brightness changes once again The music suddenly stops.

“Marinette?” 

She hears his faint voice from the bedroom. Placing the supplies on the main table in the room, Marinette turns around to move to his room. But, he is already there, standing in the door frame in a light blue turtleneck and black joggers and smiling at her.

But his smile is weak. And he looks tired. And pale. And ghostly. Like he had seen death.

She rushes across the room over to him, and holds his face in her hands. Her fingers flutter carefully over his sharp features, eyes frantically searching for any signs of sickness he might have. Her hand brushes against a scratch on the cheek, and he hisses. Marinette lets out a gasp; the scratch, though pale, is recent.

“Where did you get that from, Luka?” She asks worriedly.

He stays silent for a moment, his eyes dazed. Marinete’s worry spikes, but then he laughs airily. “Let’s say I got in the middle of a very bad… cat fight.”

He chuckles, his voice tired. She doesn’t buy his excuse; she knows he is trying to ease her, but... 

His skin is cold and clammy to touch. His dark hair is a mess, his teal eyes bloodshot. She looks behind him, to find his guitar laying abandoned on the bed of his pitch-black bedroom.

He probably notices her frown at the darkness, for the very next moment, Luka is holding her chin lightly, turning her face to look into her eyes. 

“Melody, I swear I’m fine.”

She wants to deny his blatant lie, wants to let him know that she can see the masked terror in his eyes. But she lets out a sigh, before nodding in defeat. Luka never wants his nightmares to be a topic of conversation, especially when he just has had a downtime. And so, she decides not to press upon the topic.

She takes his hand in hers, and pulls him over to the table. “I brought lunch. Your fave.”

His eyes sparkle, and some color returns to his cheeks. His smile makes her heart aflutter. “Lièvre à la royale? ”

“With Irish coffee and ice cream, though it’s melted now,” she chirps as she sets the table. He hums in delight, getting the takeaway out. “Andre wanted to surprise you with the soulmate delicacy.”

“Why, I’m honored.” Luka puts the icecream in the fridge, then rushes over to her side to pull her chair out and bow deeply. Marinette giggles at the chivalry, reaching on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. He gives her a soft smile as he pushes her chair in after she sits. He gently takes her hand in his and kisses her knuckles, before moving back to seat himself.

The meal continues in comfortable silence. He savors his slow-roasted hare, she her quiche lorraine. They never share food -- Marinette cannot bring herself to even taste blood. The mere thought of it makes her feel light headed for… reasons. She cannot comprehend how Luka savors anything that contains blood, but he has always been courteous enough when it comes to her (he has even eaten in a different room many times, and that’s something that touches her heart a lot).

The meal is finished, and Marinette takes the plates away. She brings back the Tupperware container containing the ice cream, along with two spoons. One for her, one for him. Andre has always been generous with his gift, and there is enough for both of them to share.

“A tasty meal followed by an ice cream in the enthralling presence of a wonderful lady, just what I needed.” Luka hums in delight. Marinette blushes and giggles. 

They continue to eat in silence, simply enjoying each other's presence.

“Uh, Melody?”

She hums in reply.

“About earlier…” She looks up to find him fiddling with his spoon, his gaze not meeting hers. “I did have nightmares… And I sorta... mildly... scratched myself? I promise it isn’t anything serious!” He hastily adds at her gasp, before sighing. “It’s just that… I wanted to vent the frustration out. But it didn’t help…”

“Oh Luka…”

His head is hanging low, his posture rigid. It makes her heart clench tight in her chest. She slides her hand forward a little, a small gesture to let him know that she’s there for him. That she won’t run away from him, no matter what.

He looks at her hand warily, before looking up through his bangs at her. “The darkness and your heart song seemed as the only comforts I had at that time so…” He shrugs as he picks his abandoned spoon up, stabbing at the ice cream without vigor.

Marinette places her hand softly over his, causing Luka to look up. His nightmares, linked to his dark past, have always been a sensitive topic. Both for him and for her. 

She can feel the tears at the corners of her eyes, but she brushes them away with her free hand. “Hey, I appreciate you telling me this. And... I’m here now, right?”

“Yeah.”

“If you want to tell me anything, anytime, please do,” she urges him, her thumb rubbing comforting circles on the back of his hand. “I’m here for you, love. And I don’t want  _ any _ secrets to exist between us.”

He stays silent for a moment, before nodding his head. “I… okay. I get that.”

She smiles, getting up from her chair to sit in his lap and hug him tight. He stiffens and seems momentarily surprised by her actions, before his arms come up to snake around her waist, as he buries his face in her neck.

Marinette kisses his temple, before snuggling into his embrace. Her earrings, the ones she never takes off, feel like a burden over her heart. She may have promised him complete transparency, but there are some things that… just cannot be said or explained. Like her distaste for blood. Like her quick healing powers. Like her nightly adventures that she shouldn’t be having as a  _ civilian _ . 

She cannot explain these things; it’s her secret to keep. Both for his safety, and for hers.

She hugs Luka tight, promising to herself to protect him from everything. The darkness he craves, the past that haunts him, the bloodthirsty Akumas that rampage the city -- she resolves to protect him from all of them with her life.

Unaware of the fact that he, too, resolves to do the same for her. Protect her from his darkness, his past, the bloodthirsty Akumas of whom he had once been a part…

With resolve steeling in his eyes that now shine a bright golden-green, Luka pledges to keep Marinette safe and sound at any cost. Even if it means keeping secrets between them, unexplained. Even if it means doing nightly patrols, to keep an eye for any trouble that may follow her.

Even if it means his own bloodlust is the one he keeps at bay.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Story also shared on my [Main tumblr](https://mininoire.tumblr.com/) and [Writing Tumblr](https://noirewrites.tumblr.com/).
> 
> If you are looking for a friendly MLB community to discuss your ideas, plots or share views regarding the show, or to simply be a part of a MLB server, join the [Miraculous Fanworks Discord server](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) today!


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